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Longtime English instructor promoted

May 17, 2012 : Liberty University News Service

Carolyn R. Towles, assistant professor of English and Director of Freshman Writing at Liberty University, has been named Chair of General Education English. In this position, she will oversee all 100- and 200-level English classes at Liberty, including scheduling faculty and coordinating course content.

“Professor Towles has been a major part of our organization,” said Dr. Emily Heady, dean of the College of General Studies. “She has already contributed enormously and this promotion recognizes her past accomplishments and her potential for future work for the university and the College of General Studies.”

Towles, who earned her master’s degree in education with a focus in English from Lynchburg College, has taken doctoral studies in literature and criticism at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Originally from Weatherford, Texas, she came to work at Liberty in 1991. She and her husband David, also a professor at Liberty, have three sons and nine grandchildren.

“I’m committed to the mission of Liberty and the College of General Studies,” Towles said. “We seek to better prepare students in their first two years to succeed in their chosen majors. Specifically in English, we want to develop their critical thinking, reading and written communication skills, and I am honored to be chosen to oversee this process.”

Dr. Bruce Bell, associate dean of the College of General Studies, said Towles is among “the most passionate, caring and involved professors” at Liberty University..

“She is recognized by her students and colleagues as a professional who has the students’ best interests at heart,” he said.

The College of General Studies (CGS), which launched in fall 2011, functions as a vital resource during the first two years of study at Liberty University by providing students with the academic preparation necessary to succeed while pursuing their degree. CGS oversees the general education curriculum, assures the quality and relevance of introductory courses and provides students with the necessary resources for the transition from high school to college, then college to career.